Mestizo

Mestizo

Discover the unique influences of this intriguing culture…

The Mestizo – A culture of the past that is more visible in our present.

The Mestizo is a vibrant culture whose heritage originated from the Maya and Spanish cultures. To-date the descendants are the majority populating the Northern districts of Belize.

As documentations indicate, a Spanish sailor named Gonzalo Guerrero had shipwrecked off the coast of Belize shortly after the New World Discovery. It was this arrival which eventually spun a new friendship between the Maya Ruler of the Old Chetumal (Santa Rita Village, Corozal) Nachanhan and Guerrero. Eventually this now Spanish Ally married Nachanhan’s daughter and their children were seen as the first Mestizo of Belize.

With the blending of these cultures came a fusion of traditions, practices and foods which are distinctive to Belize. Take a trip up north and be immerse in this little foodie-haven and celebrate the many festivities held annually!

The Belize Hotel Association (BHA) is a non-profit, non-government organization and Belize’s oldest private sector tourism organization. Its membership is comprised primarily of accommodation providers including hotels, resorts, lodges, condominiums, educational facilities and home-stays with allied members including tour operators and ancillary businesses that service the hospitality industry.

The Belize Tourism Industry Association BTIA is an umbrella organization for the tourism industry’s private sector. BTIA’s main strategic objective is to advocate on behalf of its members for the benefit of the tourism industry by influencing the outcomes of public policy and resource allocation decisions by the government, specifically for tourism.